Glass-tank floater.



J. D. CAIN.

GLASS TANK FLOATER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 13.1917.

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lmmm J. D. CAIN.

GLASS TANK FLOATER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY13. 1912.

1 ,i9;3%@,93?n Patentedsept. 25, 1917.

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JOHN 1). GAIN, GANEY, KANSAS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO GEORGE A. FALLS, OF GANEY, KANSAS.

GLASS-TANK FLOATER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 25, 1917..

Application filed July 13, 1917. Serial No. 180,409.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN D. CAIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Caney, in the county of Montgomery and State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Glass-Tank Floaters; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in glass tank floaters of the type employing front and rear walls spaced apart substantially throughout their length but joined at their ends. The principal object is to provide a floater of this character in which the rear wall is of less height than the front wall, thus permitting the use of a skimmer in removing any inferior glass which may accumulate between the two walls.

With the foregoing general object in view, the invention resides in the novel features of construction and unique-combinations of parts to be hereinafter fully described and claimed, the descriptive matter being supplemented by the accompanyin drawings which form a part of this specification and in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of one of the improved floaters applied to a glass melting tank;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of one half of the floater depicted in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the key illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing a modified form of construction, and

Fig. 5 is a plan view illustrating the man nor in which either form of the invention may be employed without the central key.

In the drawings above briefly described, each of the numerals l designates one half of the improved floater, and since both halves are the same, but one will be described. To this end, the numerals 2 and 3 indicate respectively the front and rear walls of one halfof the device, said walls being spaced apart substantially through out their lengths but being joined at their ends as shown at 4: and 5 respectively, and at their centers by suitable webs 6 which are by preference formed with openings 7 as shown.

I have stated above that the two halves 1 are of the same construction, but there is one feature of difference, since the inner end of one of said halves is provided with a vertical rib 8 whereas the corresponding end of the other half is formed with a vertical groove 9, said rib and groove being adapted for engagement with each other when the device is employed as shown in Fig. 5 or for coaction with a groove 10 and rib 11 at the opposite sides of a suitable key 12 when such a key is employed. The rear end of the key 12 is by preference pointed as indicated at 13 so that the accumulation of inferior glass and the like at the center of the floater is prevented. The particular shape of said key and the oblique disposition of the two halves 1, serve to deflect all inferior material to the sides of the tank so that it may be easily removed by skimming.

Most of the features of construction so far described, can be found in numerous glass factories, but it has been found that the inferior material accumulates in the space between the front and rear walls of the floater, this space being inaccessible so that the accumulated material cannot be easily removed. This often necessitates that the entire floater be detached from the tank, and it often happens that the floater is broken or otherwise mutilated when removing the material which has hardened in the space between the front and rear walls. These difliculties, however, are overcome by the present invention, by decreasing the height of the rear wall 8. This wall may either be decreased in height throughout its length as shown at 14: in Figs. 1, and 2, or the wall in question may only be reduced in height adjacent its outer ends as is shown at 14 in Fig. 4, the reduction being preferably made on both the upper and lower edges of said wall, in either case, in order that the entire device may be invertible.

By reducing the height of the rear wall, a skimming device may easily be utilized for removing the poorly melted or otherwise inferior glass from the space between the front and rear walls, it being understood that the rear wall is reduced sufficiently in height to permit the skimmer or the like to be inserted fully beneath the layer of inferior material. This cannot be done in the present devices, however, on account of the fact that both the front and rear walls are of the same height and it Will therefore be obvious that the present device is of great advantage over those previously employed.

' Since probably the best results are obtained from the specific features of construction shown and described, these features constitute the preferred forms of my invention. It is to be understood, however, that with in the scope of the claimed invention, numerous minor changes could Well be made Without sacrificing, the principal advantages.

H I claim:

A glass tank floater having front and rear ivalls spaced apart substantially throughout their lengths but joined at their ends, I

JOHN D. CAIN.

I Witnesses ROY M. LEWIS, CHAS. F. ZELLER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. 0." a 

